Dry Skin on Dogs - The 6 Main Causes

Dry skin on dogs causes problems for everyone. Your dog is miserable and can't stop itching, biting, and scratching. You're miserable because you know something is bothering your dog and you just can't take the scratching and biting anymore. If dry skin on your dog is a problem for you, here are the three main causes and how you can put a stop to it.

#1 -- Allergies to Food

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Dogs can be allergic to many different types of food. The most common are wheat and corn which are used very often in dog food as fillers. If your dog has patches that bother him especially bad and he starts losing hair, he could be allergic to his food. The only way to know what your dog is allergic to is with an "elimination" diet where you start by only feeding your dog one food at a time. If he doesn't have any problems with that food, add another to his diet. You'll know he's allergic to the food when he starts scratching and biting again. One of the best ways of going about an elimination diet is with vet supervision. He can give you a schedule of what to feed your dog and when.

Dry Skin on Dogs - The 6 Main Causes

#2 -- Allergies to Fleas

If your dog is allergic to fleas, he will have red, swollen spots on his skin where he bites incessantly. You can treat allergies to fleas by buying medicine containing antibiotics or steroids from your pet store. To treat him, trim the hair around the spots, clean the spot and apply the medicine. Your dog may have a severe allergy to fleas and may need stronger antibiotics or an antihistamine from the vet.

#3 -- Lack of Grooming

Dogs produce their own natural oil that protects their skin from drying out. By grooming by brushing him at least once each week, you can help spread this protective oil over his skin and relieving some of the dryness.

#4 -- Too much Bathing

A common mistake dog owners make with their dogs is bathing them too often. Bathing your dog once each week or even more often is too much. The frequency that you should bathe your dog is according to his breed and his living conditions. Ask your vet how often dogs your breed need to be bathed to make sure you're not overdoing it.

#5 -- Shampoo

Pet owners often use human shampoo when bathing their dogs. Dog hair and skin isn't like that of humans. The perfumes and chemicals in human shampoo can dry out your dog's skin too much or can irritate his skin causing him to scratch. Only use shampoo made specifically for dogs.

#6 -- Poor Health

Poor health often causes skin problems on dogs. While he may look healthy, dry skin, scratching and biting could be signs that he isn't. The biggest cause for poor health in dogs feeding them bad dog food. In a perfect world, all dog food would be nutritionally complete. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. To keep costs down, many dog food manufacturers use fillers that don't have any nutritional value at all. Any food you feed your dog should have meat listed as the first ingredient. Stay away from dog food that lists corn, ground corn, or wheat as the main ingredient.

To play it safe, give your dog supplements to be sure he is getting all the nutrition he needs. Don't let your dog suffer with dog skin problems. Know and be able to recognize these six main causes of dry skin on dogs and give him the relief and help he needs.

Dry Skin on Dogs - The 6 Main Causes

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